There is magic in the air at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton this Christmas.

Long before a certain boy wizard captured the hearts and imaginations of children and adults alike there was Mildred Hubble - The Worst Witch.

Danielle Bird as Mildred Hubble

For children of a certain age, Mildred needs no introduction, but for those who are slightly longer in the tooth, here's the potted history.

Mildred is the creation of author Jill Murphy, whose books about an ordinary girl who found herself in a school for witches have sold more than five million copies and been made into a number of television series and films.

Now, for the first time, those magical stories have been brought to the stage in an original story by Emma Reeves, show director Theresa Heskins and a talented team of actors and backstage staff.

All the key characters from the books are here. There's jealous Ethel, played superbly by the often scene-stealing Rose Abraham.